Tang signature on my sword?

[TimB]

Hello,

 

I was hoping someone can help with this sword ID.   Signature and forging stamp(?) on one side of the tang and item# stamp(?)on the other.  Thank you for any assistance.

 

regards

Tim

   

[BANGBANGSAN]

正真甲伏鍛正房作

真金入

實用新案登錄

第二一一六五九号

[TimB]

Thank you

 

[Bruce Pennington]

Tim,

The stamp is poorly struck.  In full, it looks like this:

 

It seems to be only on Masafusa blades.  Yours is the 3rd I have on file now.

[TimB]

Thank you, Bruce

 

Is The name Masafusa the factory where the blade was finished?

 

Kind regards

Tim

[PNSSHOGUN]

Hi Tim, Masafusa is the swordsmiths name:

 

荘田 正房 (Shoda Masafusa) ranked Chujo Saku.

[TimB]

Thank you very much, PNSHOGUN.  This is all new to me and am just trying to learn more about this newly acquired piece in my collection. There is no apparent date and also no arsenal stamps of any kind so would this likely be a personal purchase?

 

Thanks again

Tim

[PNSSHOGUN]

Hi Tim, yes you are correct. This could've been carried by any number of persons during the war but perhaps more likely a civilian contractor for the Army with an equivalent officer rank.

[Kolekt-To]

Is that a remnant of a tassel attached to the saya? I attached one of Tim's photos for reference and one of mine featuring Navy and Civilian (Gunzuko) sword examples (focus on the tsukas) with their respective tassels attached for comparison. 

[PNSSHOGUN]

Good spot, looks like the straps from a company grade tassel (LT-CAPT ranks).

[TimB]

Hello Kolekt-To

 

I have been wondering that about this sword too.  Wasn't sure it it was just the tsuko-ito(?) end unraveling.  Almost looks blue and gray in color but....I don't know

[Kolekt-To]

Perhaps others can comment on this, but seems this color of Ito is quite common on the Gunzuko (Civilian) swords. As you can see from the photo I posted, the Ito on my example appears to the be the same color as yours, Was this color of Ito standard/regulation for Gunzuko swords?

[Geraint]

Dear All.

 

Not wishing to detract from the thread with regard to the Gunzuko ito colour, the strands on the saya, as opposed to the tsuka look very much like a bootlace to me.

 

All the best.

[TimB]

Correct Geraint,   This is how it looked when I took the photo.  It is in fact black lace and I dont know who put it there or when.    I'll replace this with something more appropriate at some point. I was wondering about the frayed Ito at the top of the tsuka.  Looks like a different color than the ito, but maybe I'm just seeing things.

 

After reading a whole bunch of threads on the subject Gunzuko and the ones that may have carried swords.   I'm curious if it was common, for a sword like mine without a loop for a rank tassel to be used.  Simply trying to place where/who this sword's owner may have been before it became a take-home souvenir. Maybe wishful thinking on my part.

 

Tim

[David Flynn]

This is not the same Masafusa as shown from the page of Slough.   This one is a Seki Showato ,  also the signature is different.   Shoda Masafusa made Gendaito.

[TimB]

Thank you, David